Plugola Plague At Halftime

January 4, 1986|By blue

Now that Citrus Bowl visitors have split town, it's time to take a look at a couple of things that badly need some help if the Florida Citrus Bowl really intends to be the best such event before New Year's Day.

Don't get us wrong: Overall, it was a great week as fans of two big-name teams jammed into Central Florida. The weather warmed in the nick of time though the teams' touted offenses did not -- a mix of good news and bad that was beyond the organizers' control.

But there was one disappointment that could have been avoided: a halftime show that dragged from an overdose of commercialism. Simply put, it was tacky. Of course halftime is bound to bring Florida's citrus products to mind -- that industry sponsors the game. And naturally, the show features Central Florida. But this production had more plugs than a bathtub store, including gift-wrapped folks from five tourist attractions. Enough is enough. It was just too hard a sell to be high-class entertainment.

Another dose of commercialism -- one that jarred the afternoon's family atmosphere -- was an airplane with a banner for an X-rated theater. Yes, it's a free country and all that. But it would be nice if next time the blue-movie folks paid their respects by staying away.

One other suggestion, one for Citrus Bowl brass to consider in planning this year's event. How about enlivening halftime by clipping the parts played by political leaders? With all respect to local VIPs, the sight of them tooling around the field in antique cars was nothing to write home about.

In fairness, the 1984 halftime show produced by Disney was an awfully tough act for Radio City Music Hall Productions to follow. To critique the halftime show -- a winner according to many first-time attendees -- reflects the fact that so much of the festivities went so well. But such criticism can be a constructive ingredient in the Citrus Bowl's push toward the top.

A bowl punch-drunk with plugola won't reach its potential, nor will it best serve the citrus and tourist industries. Instead, these industries would benefit from a more softly spoken association with the Citrus Bowl, a rising enterprise that on top of its fun provides more than $100,000 to charities every year.